The journey that was..Mekah..

This is what travelling does to me...the 5 hours of difference in time left me awake at 4am when I should already be sleeping. And when friends came by at around 8.30am to visit this morning, I just couldn't wake up. Nasib baik subuh prayers tak lepas...Alhamdulillah and thank goodness am still on leave til Monday.

We arrived in Mekah after the 6 hours bus journey, all aching and water retentioned from the long journey. We stopped in Bir Ali ( a mosque about 6km from the Haram land) for our miqat (niat) to perform our first umrah. After we checked at the Zam Zam Grand Suites,which is like one of the best hotels in Mekah and dinner at the cafeteria, we walked the 400 meters walk to Baitullah...and nothing could prepare me and maybe all of us for the first glimpse of the Kaabah...it was almost surreal..and immediately most of us shed tears of disbelief and awe at this place that all our life we have prayed upon. And immediately all my doubts of coming here melted along with my tears.

Our muttawwif, an indonesian guy called Saefudin or Pudin for short, led the group for our first 7 tawaf around the Kaabah, these still dazed people who were still in a state of reverence with the experience of actually setting foot in the Holy land, and more so in front of the Kaabah. So we ended up just following his prayers all through the 7 rounds and really I can't keep my eyes of the Kaabah.

Right after that we performed our solat sunat tawaf and then proceed to do walked for sa'ei from Safa to Marwah and back 7 times. I feel that these was the harder bit compatred to the tawaf and all the running I did back home really came in handy. And the whole Umrah was completed with the tahallul which is the cutting of at least 3 strands of hair from our head..

For the next 4 days, our days were filled with more prayers, more umrahs and also visits to places of history in the Holy land. The kids each did umrah for their late dad, late grandma, my late father and their late great grandma. Alhamdulillah..

The other 3 mosques that we went out to, to do our miqat was in Tan'im, Hudaibiyah and Jadranah, each with its own history. We also visited a camel farm where some of the folks bought them camel milk. Aku tak berani nak minum takut tetiba perut meragam kat sana, siapa mau jawab wor..

We also visited the Jabal Tsur, Jabal Rahmah ( where people prayed for a good partner), and also was taken to drive around near Arafah and Mina which are part of the hajj pilgrimage rituals.

The last day before we left for Jeddah to catch our plane home, we did the final tawaf wida' (to say goodbye) and together with my Aisyah and Imran, I cried like a baby in front of the Kaabah. Sadness of the highest degree beckoned me and I made a silent prayer that I will be back in Mekkah soon.

Compared to all that has happened in Mekah and Madinah, the journey back was uneventful. I'm glad to be home to see my other 2 babies but thoughts of the Holyland stays on, I hope.. forever.

p.s While we were there, Imran was the favorite among the Arabs. They hugged him, throw him smiles and he was friendly to them (almost like a small boy). We celebrated his 15th birthday there with Baskin Robbins ice cream and lots of du'a..

Aisyah was the strong, sensible one and I find myself leaning closer to her at times of uncertainty there. She gave me that silent assurance that everything was going to be alright (even though I'm the mama).

Hubs was encouraging. He opened himself up to new people, strangers from the office and made friends with them. He's our anchor (without being told so) and have to constantly keep his patience with mine and Aisyah's constant search for things (stuff that we misplaced and can't find in the mess that was our room).

I really cherished our trip there and all the people that was together with us. We couldn't have made friends at a better place than this, people...

A lot of things that happened was the miracle of the holy land, I'm certain. Alhamdulillah!